“SOUTH PARK” STOOPS TO THE GUTTER

Catalyst March Issue 1998

The Catholic League took strong exception to the February 4 episode of the Comedy Central cartoon, “South Park.” It featured a boxing match between “Jesus” and “Satan.”

In addition to the violence, the script included a priest character who shouts, “Jesus, you’re gonna kick ass”; a boy who coaches Jesus saying, “Goddammit, Jesus, snap out of it”; another young boy who discusses how he stuck an envelope “up my ass”; and, as usual, the chef sings sexually explicit songs to the boys. Moreover, “Satan” slams “Jesus” around the ring, fakes losing the match and “Jesus” bemoans that he was betrayed because everyone bet against him.

A letter of protest was sent to Comedy Central CEO Doug Herzog. The following is the statement the league released to the press:

“In July, one of the creators of ‘South Park,’ Trey Parker, boasted of his agenda by saying, ‘I can guarantee it’s gonna be the raunchiest thing on TV and it’s gonna piss a lot of people off.’ He wasn’t entirely honest—he should have had the guts to say that it was Christians whom he wished to offend.

“Everyone complains how decadent the pop culture has become. But it doesn’t take a blue ribbon commission to figure out why: with people like Parker emulating people like Larry Flynt, it’s no small wonder why things are the way they are.

“To those who say that ‘South Park’ is just a cartoon, I have a suggestion: write to Mr. Parker and ask him to deliver the same message of blasphemy, sex and violence by substituting Martin Luther King for Jesus and Bull Connor for Satan. After all, that should tick a lot of people off, too.”

Those who would like to write to Herzog can do so by contacting him at 1775 Broadway, New York, New York 10019.